1040 carbon steel has high carbon content and can be hardened by heat treatment followed by quenching and tempering to achieve 150 to 250 ksi tensile strength.
1040 carbon steel chemical composition
| Element | Content (%) |
| Iron, Fe | 98.6-99 |
| Manganese, Mn | 0.60-0.90 |
| Carbon, C | 0.370-0.440 |
| Sulfur, S | ≤ 0.050 |
| Phosphorous, P | ≤ 0.040 |
1040 carbon steel physical properties
| Properties | Metric | Imperial |
| Density (chemical composition of 0.435% C, 0.69% Mn, 0.20% Si, annealed at 860°C (1580°F)) | 7.845 g/cc | 0.2834 lb/in³ |
| Melting point | 1521°C | 2770°C |
1040 carbon steel thermal propreties
| Properties | Metric | Imperial |
| Thermal expansion co-efficient (@ 20-100°C/68-212°F, composition of 0.40% C, 0.11% Mn, 0.01% P, 0.03% S, 0.03% Si, 0.03% Cu) | 11.3 µm/m°C | 6.28 µin/in°F |
| Thermal conductivity (@ 100°C/212°F) | 50.7 W/mK | 352 BTU in/hr.ft².°F |
| Thermal conductivity (@ 0°C) | 51.9 W/mK | 360 BTU in/hr.ft².°F |
1040 carbon steel Forming:1040 carbon steel can be formed in the annealed condition.
1040 carbon steel Welding:1040 carbon steel can be welded using all welding techniques. It can be pre-heated at 149 to 260°C (300 to 500°F) and post-heated at 594 to 649°C (1100 to 1200°F) due to its high carbon content.
1040 carbon steel Heat Treatment:1040 carbon steel can be heat treated at 844 to 899°C (1550 to 1650°F) followed by quenching in water and tempering.
1040 carbon steel Forging:1040 carbon steel can be forged at 982 to 1260°C (1800 to 2300°F).
1040 carbon steel Hot Working:1040 carbon steel can be hot worked from 94 to 483°C (200 to 900°F ).
